Have faith in the people
The much talked about local government election to nine pourashavas and four city corporations finally took place on Monday, August 4, 2008. The election has been, according to election observers, reasonably fair, transparent and peaceful. It has been free to the extent that the voters could go to the polling centers freely and cast their votes according to their choice.
However, as the election was held under the state of emergency, one might, and rightfully so, argue that how can an election be free in the true sense under a state of emergency where people's democratic and constitutional rights have been kept suspended?
The great Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping said, 'It does not matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as the cat can catch the rat.' white or black. Borrowing these famous words of this great leader, I dare say, it did not matter whether the election was held under emergency or not, what mattered was whether it could deliver the goods? To me, in all fairness, it has delivered the goods.
The election, never mind it had some technical flaws and managerial lapses, was held in a reasonably free, fair and peaceful atmosphere. The voters could cast their votes freely and independently in favour of candidates they wished to vote for and got the result according to their expectations. More importantly, the much needed electoral process for transition to a democratic order, which was kept in abeyance for long 18 months, has been set in motion.
The election, first for the reconstituted Election Commission (EC) under the military backed care taker government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad has, according to their own version, not only made the EC and the government happy but also increased their confidence in holding the parliament election due in December this year successfully.
It was for the first time the election was held on a new and correct voter list with photo, diminishing chances of fake vote to a great extent. Thanks to the EC and all others, especially the personnel of our armed forces, for the sincere and hard work they have put up in preparing the voter list.
It has been reported that there were some confusions with serial numbers in the voter ID card and in the voter list resulting in unusual delay in casting votes. Also some voters could not cast their votes as because they did not find their names in the voter roll, although they had the ID cards in their possession. Delay in counting votes and announcing results of some centers was also a point of concern.
Dr. ATM Shamsul Huda, the chief election commissioner has sought apology for this and has assured the voters that the matter will be looked into so that the same mistakes are not repeated in the next elections. I am sure he will do that.
It will be important for the EC to keep in mind that the just concluded local government election in the context of Upa-zilla and parliament election is only a tip of the iceberg. The lapses in the election process (said to be technical or managerial), however small as it may appear now, unless properly addressed, may surface as a cause of serious concern when the act will be played on a much larger canvas.
The caretaker government and the EC have reasons to be happy about the election. They took it as a test case and they have passed the test. Most of the political parties were against holding the local polls before the national election and under emergency rules. To their credit, the government and the EC could convince almost all the political parties except BNP alliance to participate in the election and that also under emergency rules. Even BNP who had initially decided not only to boycott but also resist the election ultimately softened their attitude and allowed their local leaders to contest the election
Still the government or for that matter the EC has no scope to be complacent. Buoyed with success of the local polls held last week if they decide to remain adamant in holding the upcoming elections under emergency curve they might land not only themselves but also the country into big trouble.
The two major political parties, Awami League and BNP, seem to be firm in their demand to lift emergency before the national polls. Even Awami league, who won all the four mayoral seats of city corporations and eight out of nine pourashavas in the election held under emergency, wants the emergency to go before the national polls.
The donor countries and agencies also want the emergency to go sooner than later, not only for the election to be credible but also for the economy to pick up momentum. The European Union has already announced that they will not send observers if the election is held under emergency.
Why the government is so reluctant to lift the emergency before polls is not very clear. If it is out of their apprehension that the known criminals turned politicians now behind the bar on various charges will come out and either contest the polls or pollute the political atmosphere with money and muscle, then the answer is- (a) sit with the stakeholders, with the major political parties in particular, engage in continuous and constructive dialogue with them to work out a realistic mechanism to keep the criminals at bay, (b) tighten the electoral rules and regulations, (c) allow the judiciary to function absolutely freely and independently and (d) let the voters exercise their right to franchise freely and independently with out any interference, temptation or intimidation from any quarters.
More importantly, have faith in the power of judgment of the ordinary people of this country. History tells us that they have never failed in giving correct judgment or rising to the occasion in times of crises of the country whether it is through exercising their right to franchise or taking to the streets. Why take the trouble of tracing back to history? Take the case of the recent poll. Only a million or so ordinary people with some (ballot) papers in their hands have, in less than 12 hours time, shown us the path that we have been so frantically looking for over the last 21 months or so.
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